As Harmless as a Snake, As Wise as A Dove
by 39addict101
Summary: Dan and Natalie get together while their siblings discuss other business. For whatever reason, Dan finds himself trying to impress Natalie and Natalie seems to be dong the same thing. For StarCrossedLovers1001's contest.
1. Chapter 1

**Hello guys. I realized after I published this that I forgot to add an author's note. Also, I edited some stuff, and took some stuff away. I forgot to mention this too, that this is for StarCrossedLovers1001's first (1.) contest. Thanks so much for reading this, and enjoy the story!**

Twenty-one year old Natalie Kabra fluffed her perfect, shiny butt-length hair. It caught the light in all the right places, creating a shine that other girls envied. Natalie, of course, knew this, and loved to torment them by playing with her hair, twisting it, flipping it, smoothing it, causing a sigh of jealously to burst from around the room.

Natalie's life should have been perfect. It wasn't. This week she had to go meet up with the Cahill brats to discuss business. Actually, Amy and Ian were discussing important stuff. She and Dan would probably end up arguing their time away, making foolish bets, which she, of course, always won.

She looked over to where her brother, Ian, was sitting. His handsome face was turned towards the sun, highlighting his perfect profile. Natalie sighed. Both she and Ian were so beautiful, sometimes it was hard to deal with all the attention they got.

Ian had a whole harem of girls, and as soon as he arrived anywhere, some of them would show up, begging him for some attention. His life was so hard. He hated the attention.

Natalie, on the other hand, loved any attention. She too had a whole harem of boys, if you could call boys a harem. They groveled for her attention, which she grudgingly gave them. If she fluttered her eyelashes at them, she could hear their knees starting to give.

However, for all the attention she got, she wasn't really happy with it. It made her feel happy for a while and then that feeling passed, like a breath of cool wind on a stifling summer day.

"Dear sister." Ian said, breaking off her train of thought. "We've arrived." Ian got out and went around to open Natalie's door.

However, before he could get to it, the door was flung open, and a red face was stuck inside the car. "Oh my gosh! Cobras are here! RUN, AMY RUN!" Dan screamed the last part so loud that Natalie could feel her eardrums protesting.

"Daniel." She said calmly. "Really, what are you doing?"

"Hi, Nat! It's D-A-N, Dan, got it?"

"It's Natalie, fine Dan..." Natalie could hear Dan's sigh of relief. She smiled. "...iel."

Dan glared at her. Natalie shrugged it off and flounced inside the stupid restaurant they were meeting at.

Amy and Ian were already deep in conversation when they got inside, so it looked like they'd have to make do by themselves. "Hey, you wanna go do something else?" Dan asked.

"Sure Daniel. Alright. Let's go. Where do you suggest?"

"Oh," Dan said, innocently. "I have the perfect spot. I know you'd love it."

"You mean you guys have Prada in America?"

"Not quite Prada, much more fun." Dan said.

That was how Natalie Kabra got to spend all evening in a video game arcade. Wonderful.

oO0Oo

Amazing. Dan had actually gotten Natalie to do something _he_ wanted to do. Normally his time hanging out with Nat consisted of shopping, getting nails and hair done, and eating at some fancy restaurant where the food had stupid names like Hours De Vuers or something.

Natalie loved it, and he hated it. Now he was loving it and she was hating it. He couldn't help but think that it was perfect.

"Nat?" He asked. Natalie was sitting in a chair, watching him kill zombies.

"What?" She snapped.

"I'm hungry. Let's go get something to eat."

"I never thought you'd ask!" Natalie said, jumping out of her chair.

Dan smiled inwardly. Time to introduce Natalie to American food. "Alright!" He said, jumping up and pumping his fist in the air. His black converse hit the ground running. "C'mon!" He yelled.

Natalie teetered after him in her Prada heels. Or maybe Armani. Or maybe Ralph Lauren. He wasn't quite sure. _I need to get her some real shoes!_ He thought, glancing down at his converse. _Maybe some bright pink?_ Yeah, that should do it. He'd have to get her some bright pink converse before she left.

By the time Natalie reached the car, he had it running. "Let's bounce!" He said, and tore out of the parking lot.

oO0Oo

"Where are you taking me?" Natalie asked Dan.

Dan smiled. "You'll find out when we get there. It's really good stuff. I know you'll love it."

"Really?" Natalie sighed dreamily, "I hope they have some good shrimp salad, topped with finely shredded almonds and a sprinkling of fresh cilantro."

Dan tried not to gag. "Oh, this place is much better." He said. _I hope she won't kill me._ He thought.

He pulled into the McDonalds parking lot and hopped out. Natalie sat in stunned silence.

"What?" She roared. "Where are you taking me?"

"This place." Dan said, motioning at the small fast food place.

"But it looks so...so...primitive." Natalie said.

"Boy, you are naïve aren't you?" Dan asked. So far his plan was going better than he'd thought. Obviously she'd never heard of the place, McDonalds.

"Do you even know what naïve means?" Natalie asked suspiciously.

"Nope!" Dan answered, grinning at her.

Natalie shook her head. "Well, let's get this over with. Dining with you is so humiliating. You didn't even know what fork to use with the fourth course!"

Dan gulped. _She's complaining about me not knowing what fork to use. I hate to see her reaction when she finds out this place usually doesn't give you a fork._ He cringed.

"Alright. Let's go." Natalie said, finally getting out of the car.

 _Oops._ Dan thought. Natalie had wanted him to open the door for him.

He held the door for her as they walked in. Natalie wrinkled her nose at the dirty floor.

"What kind of place is this?" She hissed.

Dan shrugged. "They serve really good food. I'll order for you. I know just what you'll like."

"Really?" Natalie said dreamily.

Dan couldn't help but notice the way her eyes crinkled when she smiled. It was really cute. He led her to a booth and sat her down. Then he went up to the counter to order.

It was surprisingly quiet for a McDonalds. Normally there were people going in and out, but today there was only one old guy in a corner. Dan stepped up to the counter and ordered and burger and a salad for both of them.

For whatever reason, he found himself asking if they could put finely chopped almonds on the top of the salad.

The staff member looked at him irritated. "Sir, we are a fast food restaurant. If you want finely chopped almonds, go somewhere else."

"Sheesh. Just asking." Dan held up his hands in surrender. "Oh, and I know this is going to sound really weird, but take lots of time cooking the order, Kay?"

The guy did a double take. "Uh, sure, whatever."

Dan walked back to where Natalie was sitting. "Crap." He said, and turned around, "Oh also, could you bring out our drinks? And wash the stain off your apron."

The guy looked seriously annoyed. Dan held up a twenty dollar bill, and the guy smiled. "Sure."

"Take your time." Dan said.

As he walked back to the table, his thoughts churned in his mind. _Why the hell am I trying to hard to impress Natalie with American food? Normally I would order them to burn the burger, but today I went to no expense to try to impress her with a normal McDonalds._ Dan was quite confused.

 **Ok people, please tell me what you think. Also, there is two days left to join my contest..**


	2. Chapter 2

**Ok, people. Sorry for the shorter chapter. I'm really busy. Ever tried running a contest, updating two stories, and studying for finals? Yeah. I know. Quite difficult. Anyways, Enjoy!**

Natalie felt a wave of nausea pass over her as she looked at the food the McSomething Waiter placed in front of her. Not only was the salad lacking finely chopped almonds, but whatever else was in the crinkly package smelled revolting. A bit like the dog food they used to feed their homing poodles.

Dan was already digging in. "Um." He mouthed. "Dish ish sho good!"

 _Does he not know its not polite to talk with food in your mouth?_ She thought, shaking her head. Then she looked at the lump before her. Natalie swallowed hard, and opened the crinkly package. Something round and white and slimy and dripping with cheese stared up at her.

"Jusht thry it!" Dan said, his mouth full of food once again. It was revolting the way these Americans eat.

Natalie shuddered, and reached for the silverware. To her horror, there weren't any. Not any real silverware. Just some small plastic thing that came with her salad. She looked over to where Dan was picking up the concoction and using his hands to feed his greedy mouth.

Natalie looked down at whatever was in the crinkly paper. For Goodness Sake! They couldn't even use plates at these American restaurants.

Finally, using 100% of her will power, Natalie Kabra picked it up and took a bite of her very first cheeseburger.

At first, she wanted to vomit. It was squishy, and reminded her of those Indian Donuts she'd had one time at an Indian Restaurant. They were squishy and rubbery. She shuddered. Then she realized it was delicious. Meaty juices exploded in her mouth, and she tried not to gasp. It was so GOOD! Maybe that was why Dan was shoveling the round thing in his mouth and ignoring the salad. Maybe she should just follow Dan's lead tonight.

She gobbled down the round thing, and picked at her salad. After eating whatever that delicious thing was, the salad was wimpy and wilty.

Dan was doing the same thing. She glanced over at him, shyly, trying to ignore the way his dirty blonde hair shone in the light. "What was that you just gave me?" She asked, feeling stupid.

"Um, a burger, you've never had one before?" Dan was trying to hide his surprise, and was doing a very poor job of it.

"No, you idiot. In the UK we eat good food!"

"Right..." Dan said. He looked crushed.

Natalie blurted, "It's ok. You tried. Actually..." She paused. Did she want to tell Dan she'd liked it? "It was really good."

Dan brightened. "Really?"

"Yeah. Not quite as good as a shrimp salad, with shredded almonds and cilantro, but still good nonetheless."

"Uh, I think it was fresh cilantro."

"What?" Natalie asked. How did he remember that it had to be fresh cilantro? That was creepy.

Dan blushed. "Whatever. Sorry."

"Stalker much?" Natalie asked, arching her perfect eyebrows.

Dan blushed again. "Uh, why would I stalk you?" He asked.

Natalie was inwardly laughing now. "I don't know. It's you! You're weird. You just do stuff like that. Like taking me to a video game place despite the fact that we're freaking twenty-one!"

Dan blushed. "I didn't want go shopping." He mumbled looking down at his hands.

"Right. Whatever. You love shopping with me." Natalie said, trying not to laugh. This was so fun. _I wonder why I never realized until now, just how fun it is to torment Dan Cahill._ Natalie chortled. This was going to be a fun evening.

oO0Oo

Dan hadn't known until know just how annoying Natalie Kabra was. And pretty. And hot. She moved almost seductively, causing those standing around her to look at her twice.

Not only were her physical features beautiful, but she was smart too. She'd come up with amazing comebacks all night. Dan hadn't even known Natalie knew what a comeback was!

Recently, when he'd said, "The only reason you're here in America is because you wanted to see all the hot American boys, me included." He'd batted his eyelashes at her.

She'd said, "No, if I want to see cute boys, I look them up on Instagram."

It wasn't the best comeback, but coming from a Kabra's mouth made it seem like the best one ever. Then he'd asked her, "Do you even know what Instagram is?"

She'd said, "Duh. Do you think I live in the 17th century or something?"

"Yup." Dan had said.

Natalie had just rolled her eyes at him, and laughed. After that they'd lapsed into a comfortable silence.

Dan smiled. Her laugh was beautiful, like a trickling stream. It made him want to laugh with her. He glanced over to where she was sitting, in the driver's seat next to him. She was smiling at something someone had texted her.

From the side, her smile was the most beautiful thing Dan had ever seen. It lit up her soft features, and made her look like some type of Sun Goddess.

When they arrived back at the restaurant, Natalie broke the comfortable silence. "Let's go spy on Amy and Ian."

"Wait." Dan said. This wasn't the Natalie he knew. _Why isn't she running off to fix her makeup?_ "We're like twenty-one and you want us to go spy on our siblings?"

"Hey," Natalie said, "You took me to a video game arcade, I'm sure this is much more mature than that."

"Ouch." Dan said.

"Sorry." Natalie said, smiling at him. "Besides, killing zombies? Seriously."

"Double ouch." Dan groaned, feigning hurt.

"Yeah, whatever." Natalie said. "Live with it."

Dan got out, opened the door for Natalie, and then they slipped inside to spy on their siblings.

 **Tell me what you think guys! I hope you liked it!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Ok. I put some action in here, which I'm not too good at. This is my last chapter, so tell me what you think! Enjoy!**

Natalie and Dan hurriedly slipped up the stairs to where their siblings were dining. Just as they turned the corner, they ran into three huge burly masked men who shot at them. "Duck!" Dan screamed, as both he and Natalie hit the floor.

Amy and Ian came tearing out of the room, saw their siblings and shouted at them to follow. Natalie and Dan hurriedly picked themselves up and scrambled after them.

"Oh my gosh guys!" Amy screamed. "Run! Run as fast as you can!"

Dan, Natalie and Ian obeyed, pumping their legs, making them move faster.

Dan watched breathlessly as Natalie kept up easily with Amy, leaving he and Ian behind. Then he gasped. Two men sprinted at them from around a corner, and Amy and Natalie were going so fast, they wouldn't be able to stop. He glanced over at Ian and screamed, "Ian! Faster!" Then he yelled, "Amy! Nat! Look out!"

Amy and Natalie looked up at the same time and seemed to see their impending doom. They screeched to a halt and did a neat 360, wheeling around and running for their life. Dan and Ian turned and followed.

By now the other restaurant customers were getting interested, and they stood up and blocked the aisles, causing the masked men to be stopped in their tracks. Amy, Ian, Dan, and Natalie tore out the door, panting.

"What did those guys want?" Dan asked, trying to get enough air in his lungs to breathe. There was that familiar tightening feeling in his lungs. He breathed deeply, and whipped out his inhaler.

Amy's face was pale. "I don't know. Honestly, Ian and I were just ordering dessert when these two goons come tearing into the room and demand that I give them my phone. Of course, I'm like, 'Uh, No.' And then they're all mad and they start chasing us. I just don't know what they would want with my phone."

Ian shook his head. "I don't know either-" Then he stopped. "Amy, love, don't you have confidential information on there, like my bank account number? Remember, I texted it to you the other day. I wanted you-"

Amy cut him off. "Right. You wanted me to withdraw some money. Those dudes were probably at the bank, and knew right away I wasn't Ian Kabra. They must have seen me read the number off my phone."

Natalie finished. "So they tailed you. They wanted you to give them the phone so they'd have Ian Kabra's bank account number, and then they could go withdraw all his funds. Oh Ian!" She gasped. "We'd be penniless!"

She wrapped him a huge hug. "Never do something that stupid again."

"Sorry." Ian mumbled.

Natalie smiled. "Ian, I don't even care. I was just joking. After Mum left, I realized that all that matters is family. It doesn't matter how much money you have or what clothes you wear," she said, looking distastefully at Dan's shoes. "What matters is that we love each other, and we always will."

 _Whoa._ Dan thought. _I didn't know the girl knew what love was._ Then he saw her in a whole new light. He saw the way her clothes fit on her, how long her eyelashes were, how deep and loving and caring her eyes were, how she looked at him.

Then Dan Cahill realized that he loved Natalie Kabra.

oO0Oo

 _Some Years Later_

 _Wow._ Dan thought. He watched at his fourth year girlfriend stepped out of the house to meet him. She moved daintily, like a cat, and yet briskly, hurrying down the driveway towards the love of her life.

"Hi Dan." She said, giving him a small kiss on the cheek. "Where to?"

"Surprise." Dan said, trying not to smile. They drove until they came to the one restaurant that had started it all, at least for Dan.

They pulled up, and Dan opened the door for Natalie. "Thanks." She said, smiling at him.

Dan knew she was perfectly capable to open the door herself, but he did it because he wanted her to smile at him. It gave him a warm, glowing feeling. He knew he would sacrifice his life for her if he had too.

They pulled out of the car and went into the restaurant. "Hey." Natalie said, cocking her head. "This is the same place we went like four years ago when two thugs tried to rip Ian off."

"Yup." Dan smiled. "Looks like I taught you your American English well."

Natalie groaned. "This is what happens when I hang around you."

Dan groaned. "Oh, dear me, my stockings are falling down." Then he smiled at her. "Be glad I don't talk like that."

Natalie rolled her eyes, and reached for Dan's hand.

oO0Oo

Some time later, just as they were ordering dessert, two men threw themselves into the room, knocked the waiter out of the way, and pointed their guns at Dan and Natalie.

Natalie launched herself at the door, pulling Dan with her. "What is it..." She panted. "About this stupid place. Every time."

"I don't know." Dan said. Then he stopped. They had reached the parking lot, and the men had vanished.

"Uh Dan." It was Natalie who spoke first. "They're gone. But...you know..." She paused. "When those men showed up, I realized how much I actually love. I started thinking that if something happened to you, I wouldn't be able to survive. That's why I wanted to ask, 'Will you marry me?' "

Dan stood gaping at Natalie. "Wha-What?" Then he groaned. "I mean yes. But I have a confession first. I set this thing up. Wait!" He said, seeing Natalie's expression. "It was here, four years ago, that I realized I loved you, and I wanted it to happen again, so I could tell you, like I should have the first time. I brought you here, to tell you I love you, and to ask if you would marry me. However it looks like my plan backfired on me. So, in answer to your question, Yes I will marry you."

Natalie looked at him. "You know what?"

"What?"

"You really have Americanized me. I never would have asked that before, it wasn't proper." She looked down at her hot pink converse which Dan had gotten her last Christmas. "I love you Dan Cahill."

"I love you too, Natalie Kabra!" Dan said, staring into Natalie's beautiful hazel eyes.

As the moon broke over the hill in the distance, one could clearly see the couple standing in the parking lot, their lips together in a tender embrace.

 **Was it too classic? I hope not. I wasn't trying for it to be original. Tell me what you think. I'd really love you for it!**


End file.
